Possession
by caaaitlin
Summary: Scorpius, alone and loathed for a long while before he met the obtuse Rose Weasley outside her family's joke shop. Passionate and loving, she brings light into his dreary life, but Scorpius is vengeful and Rose is desperate to escape the bonds of family.
1. Escape

**Possession**

* * *

><p>"No, no! I truly adore wearing robes that are two inches too short!" Astoria snapped sarcastically, scowling at the poor shop assistant.<p>

Scorpius rolled his grey eyes, fidgeting briefly with the ends of his sleeves before slipping past his mother and the women she was bullying and heading out onto the street of Diagon Alley.

The seven year old wandered aimlessly through the busy street, expensive shoes scuffing on the cobble stoned pavement, eyes travelling over the numerous shops selling books and clothing and potion ingredients.

Pretending not to notice the weary and often loathing looks he was receiving he made his way towards the famous Weasley joke shop. He had never been allowed in the brightly coloured shop, his father was sure he wouldn't be welcome and his mother found pranks to be overly cheerful.

"Who're you?" It was a young girl, leaning against a wall of the shop. She appeared to be around the same age as Scorpius, her brown doe eyes watching him with confusion as he stood gazing at the shop.

"Scorpius." He told her; not bothering to mention his last name assuming his white blonde hair would be enough to tell her.

"I'm Rose." She informed him, fiddling with a clip that held back red locks as she wandered towards him. "Are you going in?"

"No." Scorpius replied in a bored tone. "You're annoying me, you know?"

She looked darkly at him for a moment before dismissing his comment. "Why not?"

"Why aren't you?" He countered.

"I've already been in." She confessed. "Mum sent me out. James is meant to be watching me. But he went off somewhere with Fred."

Scorpius looked at her with disinterest and didn't bother to press for more details.

"It was because I kept telling Hugo to go away." She told him anyway. "It's not my fault he's so annoying."

Scorpius nodded absently.

"Do you have any siblings?" Rose wondered.

"No."

"Lucky." She breathed, her hand coming down from her hair to pick at her untidy fingernails.

"Lonely." Scorpius argued.

She looked at him with interest for a moment before letting her eyes travel down the road. "Want to go to the bookstore?"

"Wont your mother come looking for you?" He asked sceptically.

"Yes." She said nodding. "That'll be the first place she looks."

Scorpius shrugged and followed her as she lead him through the bustling crowd.

He watched with mild intrigue as the girl beamed at the sight of the impossibly tall book shelves, breathing in the smell of parchment and ink deeply, running her pale fingers over the leather bound spines.

"Do you like to read?" She asked him, as she began to flick through a book with runes detailing the cover.

"I do." He said, scowling as a women pulled her young son away when she saw him.

"What's that about?" Rose asked, looking over her shoulder at where his glare was directed.

"You don't know?" He replied, looking surprised. No wonder she had decided to talk to him.

"Don't know what?" She said, brown eyes sweeping over his face in confusion.

"I'm one of the Malfoy's." He told her, an arrogant stance and humourless smirk changing his whole person.

"Right." She said nodding, before declaring. "I'm one of the Weasleys."

"Our fathers hate each other." He commented.

"Mum says the war was meant to end hate." Rose quoted.

"I thought it was meant to kill the Dark Lord." Scorpius said.

"That too." She quipped, making him smile lightly.

"Rose!"

"Over here mum." Rose called over her shoulder, rolling her eyes at Scorpius.

An aggravated Hermione Weasley stalked towards them, a little red-headed boy clinging to her hand.

"I told you to wait outside!" Hermione snapped, looking thoroughly put out. "Where did James go?"

Rose didn't appear to be fazed by her mother's tone of voice. "With Fred somewhere." She told the older women.

Hermione rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Of course he did." She muttered, making a mental note to have a discussion with Ginny later. "You, are in deep trouble."

Rose nodded solemnly, before turning towards Scorpius and saying, "Mum? This is Scorpius."

Hermione looked surprised for a moment as she took in the slight blonde boy before smiling kindly and saying, "Draco's son?"

"Right." Scorpius nodded.

"Do you think I could see Scorpius again mum?" Rose inquired, surprising the bored looking Scorpius into awareness.

Hermione looked apprehensive for a moment before mumbling, "Well I'm not sure Ron would like it…"

"I'm asking you, mum." Rose reminded her.

Hermione sighed, looking down at her daughter. "Well I suppose, if it would be alright with your mother Scorpius?"

Scorpius merely shrugged and nodded, Astoria would not particularly care if he said he was going out to meet a friend. In fact she'd most likely be rather thrilled, as he never had done so before.

"Here," Hermione said, dropping her son's hand and digging through her bag for a quill and a piece of parchment. "write down your address and Rose will owl you once she has spent a sufficient time being punished for her thoughtless actions." This last part was directed with a glare at her daughter who wore an appropriately ashamed expression.

Scorpius scribbled down Malfoy Manor, watching as Hermione's eyes darkened slightly at the title of his home.

"Right then," Hermione said, offering him a small smile and taking her sons hand again. "We best be off home now. Your Grandmother will hear about your wandering today Rose."

Rose cringed dramatically, before trailing after her mother and relaxing her face into a smile as she said, "See you then."

"Bye." Scorpius replied, watching the three leave the book store.

Scorpius briefly pondered over what had occurred in his brief meeting with Rose as he headed back to the robe store. He had not met many girls, but he was fairly sure Rose wasn't quite like any of the others. Her nails had been disgusting, her hair a pile of curly red frizz drifting down her back and her robes plain earthy colours.

He had not interacted with many other children, his mother often talked about how children bothered her and dramatically described pregnancy as the "worst time in her life, even with that tedious war included" and his father's associates were all much too refined to bring their precious seed into the home of a Malfoy.

Scorpius had often wondered if his life would have perhaps been better with more siblings, perhaps the dark and dreary halls of the Manor would have been filled with light and laughter, perhaps his father would have been more interested in his family, rather than his family's name, if there were more members for him to interact with, perhaps his mother would have worn an expression of pleasure rather than just an indulging look while watching her children interact.

He wondered if it was possibly his fault that his parents had decided not to have more children. Was he such a horror of a child they had refused to try again?

But, he supposed Rose seemed rather bothered with just having one brother, and his own mother had hardly mentioned her sister, who she believed to be rather humiliating to her family as she still had not wed.

Scorpius had always been rather solitary and that was fine by him, he decided, as he made his way into the shop, just as his mother began to look around in confusion for her missing son, though, perhaps he could fit Rose into his rather lonely world.

* * *

><p><em>Scorpius,<em>

_Mum says I'm allowed to see people again. I was grounded for three weeks after our trip to Flourish and Blots and I had to sit through Gran's yelling for about ten minutes, though I did get to watch Aunt Ginny going off at James which was quite funny._

_Anyway, mum says She'll take us to the playground in the muggle part of our village, if you'd like?_

_Kind Regards,_

_Rose Weasley_

Her script was quite neat, Scorpius supposed, as he handed the letter to his mother who let her pale blue eyes drag over the words, her brown hair pulled back elegantly showing her swan-like neck.

"Do you want to go?" She asked, looking at Scorpius in the reflection of her vanity mirror.

"Yes." Scorpius replied.

"Very well." She said folding the letter up. "Tiffy will take you."

He glanced towards the House Elf that was helping his mother clasp a necklace as it nodded its large head respectfully, ears flapping on the sides of its face.

Scorpius nodded at his mother's reflection, taking this as a dismissal.

He drifted through his home, avoiding the eyes of his ancestor's portraits and made his way in the drawing room.

As he was composing his note of agreement, his Father swept into the room.

"Ah, Scorpius." The tall man greeted, not meeting his sons eyes.

"Father." Scorpius replied absently.

"Are you well?" Draco asked, looking mildly curious as he watched his son write his letter.

"Very." Scorpius drawled, his voice a soprano version of the older Malfoy's, making Draco cringe. "Are you?"

"Yes, thank you. I've stopped by to take your mother out to lunch." He told Scorpius, his face lightening as he mentioned his wife.

"I hope you have a good time." Scorpius commented.

"We always do." Draco said. "Tiffy will be here with you."

Scorpius nodded vaguely, not bothering to look up from his letter, which he was re-reading once more, as his mother came into the room to greet Draco.

His parents were surprisingly loving towards each other, a fact which most people who had met them, or heard of the Malfoy's never believed. Draco absolutely doted on Astoria, and Astoria loved to be loved, though the only person she seemed to love in return was Scorpius' Father.

He said a customary farewell to his parents before walking into the gardens and attaching his letter to the family owl.

* * *

><p>"Do <em>not<em> go out of the playground." Hermione warned her daughter sternly. "Or there will be serious consequences."

"Yes, mum." Rose agreed, looking excitedly around at the brightly coloured slide and tire swings.

"And take care of Hugo!" Hermione called after her, as Rose took Scorpius by the hand and dragged him to the swings, before settling down on the bench with her book.

Rose rolled her eyes at this last instruction, before sitting herself on the swing inelegantly. Scorpius joined her on the swing beside it, looking at the park in confusion. He hardly ever travelled to muggle areas, his mother had never taken any particular interest in muggle life and his father's face always took on an ugly look if muggles were mentioned before he seemed to remember himself and switched it to a more neutral one.

"Are you going to swing?" Rose asked, laughing delightedly as she kicked her feet in to the dirt and sent herself into the air.

Scorpius felt a flush colouring his pale cheeks as he watched her, before lifting his hands from his lap and curling his fingers around the chains.

"What do I do?" He asked, feeling horribly embarrassed.

Rose slowed her swinging and looked at him incredulously, before asking, "You've never been on a swing?"

"No." He said gruffly.

"Oh." She said, before smiling at him and jumping off her slowly moving swing, landing lightly on her feet. "I'll teach you."

"Teach me?" He echoed, looking over his shoulder at her as she took stance behind him.

"Right." She nodded, grasping the chains of the swing slightly above his own hands and pushing the swing forward.

The was a terrifying swooping sensation in his stomach that made him gasp briefly.

"Swing your legs in and out." Rose told him, still pushing the chains from behind him.

"What?" He asked stupidly.

"Just do it." She said bossily.

Feeling incredibly ridiculous he began to swing his legs, imitating the way he had seen when Rose had been on her swing.

He slowly found a rhythm in it, feeling himself moving the swing through the air with the push of his legs.

"You're doing it!" Rose told him delightedly, letting go of the chains and moving back towards her own swing to watch him.

He smiled in reply, enjoying the rush as the wind swept through his hair.

Scorpius swung for a little while longer, Rose watching him rather proudly, until he saw Rose's brother beginning to approach them from his mother's side and was hit by a sudden realisation.

"How do I stop?" He asked, mildly panicked.

"Just stop swinging your legs and slow yourself down by dragging your feet." Rose said, a scowl appearing on her face as she watched Hugo walk towards them.

Scorpius did as she said, finding it almost instinctive, like the swinging itself, managing to completely stop moving by the time Hugo had made it over.

"What do you want Hugo?" Rose asked, rather tiredly.

"To play with you and your friend." Hugo said.

"Can't you play by yourself?" Rose whined.

"But mum said you had to play with me." Hugo argued.

Rose groaned. "Cant anyone in this family have anything to themselves?"

"Rose!" Hugo moaned.

"Shut up, Hugo." She snapped.

"You aren't allowed to say that!" Hugo said triumphantly.

"Dad says it all the time." Rose defended.

"Yeah, and mum slaps him" Hugo commented.

"You're such a baby Hugo." Rose complained.

"Fine!" Hugo huffed, looking at his sister angrily and storming away to the climbing bars.

"Why don't you want to play with him?" Scorpius wondered, watching the boy stomp away.

Rose looked at him oddly for a moment, before saying, as though it were obvious, "Because I only want to play with you."

* * *

><p>Scorpius continued to meet with Rose regularly throughout the years, Tiffy taking him to an arranged meeting place (causing Hermione to look distressed every time she greeted the Elf) after his mother had offered her agreement.<p>

He was unsure if Rose's father knew that Rose spent time with him, and he was unsure if Astoria had ever mentioned it to Draco.

He supposed it wasn't important either way, since nothing had ever stopped him seeing Rose.

At age seven, Scorpius had been confused and intrigued by Rose, with her dirty nails and wild hair, but as he had grown into the age of eleven, Rose had become his closest and only friend and her bright smiles, fiery nature, adventurous spirit and blunt comments were his comforts. Rose was escaping and freedom and triumph.

They spent their days in golden sunshine, using tree branches for wands and becoming the most brilliant Witch and Wizard known to the world. They were warriors fighting off the worst evils imaginable to them, explorers discovering new worlds, unseen and unheard of and royalty ruling all they had invented. It wasn't called magic by most people, but Scorpius was certain the time they spent together was just that; magical.

By the time Rose's cousin James had gone to Hogwarts, the school had become an obsession for them. Rose told him all the stories she had heard from her cousins and her parents while Scorpius listened in wonder.

"Mum and Dad know all the secret passage ways apparently." She said, laying herself down on the grass covered hill, motioning for Scorpius to join her. "Though I think that's more because of Uncle Harry. Do you think we'll find many?"

"Sure." Scorpius said, watching the clouds drifting across the sky. "What house do you think you'll be in?"

She seemed to think on this for a moment, before rolling onto her side and looking at him seriously. "I'm not sure. Where do you think I'll be?"

"Gryffindor." He told her, ignoring her scoff as she rolled onto her back again. "Or Ravenclaw."

"Everyone's in Gryffindor." She sighed. "Where do you want to go?"

"Slytherin." He said easily.

"Why?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You always seem to want to get away from everything Malfoy." She told him.

"No I don't." He argued. "I want to get away from the people who hate Malfoy's."

"So why Slytherin?" She asked again.

"Maybe people will just hate me for being a Slytherin, rather than just hate me for being a Malfoy." He said.

"Maybe they'll just hate you for both." Rose said wisely.

"Would you?" He asked quietly.

"No." She said defiantly, though her voice was just as quiet as his as she took his hand in her own. "I don't think I could ever hate you."

* * *

><p>The day Scorpius' letter arrived was an interesting one. His father and mother were delighted, an emotion he rarely saw in them unless they were spending time with each other.<p>

"I'm so proud of you." His father told him. Scorpius thought this was rather odd, why should you be proud of someone for receiving a letter?

"I hope he's in Slytherin." Astoria commented happily, not noticing when Draco's smile suddenly became rather fixed.

"Do you think that's what would be best for him?" Draco asked.

"What do you mean? Of course it is." Astoria said stubbornly, unused to arguments from her husband.

"The Malfoy's need to redeem themselves Astoria." Draco told her.

"And if he's a Slytherin, he'll certainly have the ambition to do so." His wife argued.

Draco looked at her exasperatedly. "No one ever _trusts_ a Slytherin."

"Other Slytherins do." Astoria commented dryly.

"And that's been so useful for us." Draco muttered.

Astoria rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you worry so much Draco. We're rich and we have each other. And darling Scorpius of course."

"I would just prefer not to be spat on every time I stepped outside my own house." Draco said, his hands clenched tightly.

"You worry too much." Astoria said. "Now, we'll have to go to Diagon Alley soon, I would like to see you buy your wand."

Draco seemed distracted by this change in topic and plans were made for a family trip to Diagon Alley.

* * *

><p>It was not often Scorpius travelled to shops with both his parents, Draco hated being in public (for fear of "being spat on") and Astoria only took her son out when she had clothes for him to try on.<p>

The trip to Ollivander's was uneventful and Scorpius only felt mild anticipation as he entered the dusty store.

He looked around briefly, taking in the shelves lined with boxes, his father standing stiffly to his side with Astoria's arm tucked into his.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy." Came a vaguely nervous sounding voice as Mr Ollivander appeared, climbing down an impossibly tall ladder.

"Mr Ollivander." Draco greeted.

Ollivander's misty eyes focused on the elder Malfoy for a moment and there was a thick silence as he seemed to think on something. It was abrupt and rather disconcerting when he suddenly turned to Scorpius and said, "You must be looking for a wand."

"Yes." Scorpius agreed, and with that Ollivander was back at his shelves, rummaging through stacks of boxes, offering a few wands for Scorpius to try before declaring them wrong. He seemed to be becoming more anxious to find the right one as more and more time passed, his eyes flickering uncomfortably to Draco's tense face.

"Try this one." Ollivander told him, looking enthusiastic about his latest choice. "Beechwood, 10 and a half inches, but it has a liquid core."

"A liquid core?" Astoria asked as Scorpius accepted the box.

"Boomslang venom." Ollivander told her. "Very rare, of course. I myself hardly ever try to work with liquids as cores. But, I've had this wand in my store for a long, long time... Try it then."

Scorpius took the lid off the box and picked the wand out carefully, his fingers instinctively curling around it, a warm sensation in his hand and the swooping sensation that he always associated with swings making him grin.

Ollivander nodded happily, exchanging the wand for gold and bidding them farewell, though Scorpius noticed the mildly relieved look in the wand makers silvery eyes as his family finally left.


	2. Right and Wrong

**Possession**

* * *

><p>"It's September first soon." Rose commented happily.<p>

"Are you ready to go?" Scorpius asked, twisting the chains of his swing slowly.

Rose had a dry expression as she looked at him and replied, "Of course I am."

He shouldn't have bothered asking really; Rose was never unprepared for anything. She told Scorpius that this was a trait inherited from her mother.

"Of course you are." He agreed amusedly. "Are you nervous?"

"A bit."

"Why?" He asked, genuinely curious, Rose always seemed to be absolutely confident in herself to him.

She shrugged, chewing her lip thoughtfully. "I just want to be something."

"Be something?" He repeated.

"My whole family," She began exasperatedly. "Are either famous or brilliant or beautiful or something. I want to be something."

"You're Rose." He told her, as though this was the most precious something in the world.

"I know, Scorp." She said, rolling her brown eyes and shaking her head. "Never mind. Are you nervous?"

"Yes." He confessed.

"The Malfoy curse?" She guessed, using his nickname for the way people treated him simply for who is father and grandfather had been.

"Mostly." He said, shrugging before looking at her intently. "We'll still be friends, right?"

"Of course." She said, no doubt in her voice. "Who else do we have, really?"

"You have your whole family Rose."

"Well, mum and dad are hardly going to come along are they?" She joked. "Al is okay I suppose, but James is so arrogant that I can't talk to him without laughing at his giant head."

He smiled at her description, "Bet I can swing higher then you."

Rose laughed as he kicked off the dirt, "Uh uh," She argued, pushing herself into the air. "I am the champion swinger Mr Malfoy!"

* * *

><p>Though it had once seemed so far away, September the first seemed to come alarmingly fast to Scorpius.<p>

He was unsure if he was more nervous or excited about finally being able to go to Hogwarts and he was unsure what emotion it was that woke him so early on the day he was meant to travel to King's Cross and board the train.

It was nearly four am when he rose, and he desperately tried for more sleep before finally admitting defeat and slipping out of his bed. The windows showed the gardens doused in a dark grey dawn and Scorpius was certain he would not be able to sit and watch the sunrise today.

He made his way to the library, taking comfort in the smell of the books, the smell reminded him of Rose who always seemed to have ink splattered on her fingers and clothes and a book or two that she would bring along with her everywhere.

He looked along the dusty volumes placed on the dark wooden shelve of the aristocratic Malfoy library. It was a large and beautiful room, soft grey carpet, shelves up to the ceiling and plush arm chairs by wide windows so the sunlight would hit the book you wished to read.

He wondered if Rose would love it despite the dark texts most of the covers held within them. Running his fingers along the numerous spines noticed the title _Justice: How Magic Will Serve It_. He fingered it for a moment, almost indecisively, before pulling it from itself and weighing it in his hands, images of unfair looks of disgust and disapproval running through his mind.

* * *

><p>Scorpius watched as his father nodded stiffly in Harry Potter's direction, Rose's uncle, he realised. It was strange that such a famous man had a niece who was his best friend.<p>

He felt his father's hand clasp his should and he turned to face his father.

"Good luck, Scorpius." Draco said, looking over the top of Scorpius' head at a man and women who were clearly warning their child against the son of a Malfoy. "Don't believe what anyone else tells you. Malfoy's are always worthy."

Scorpius listened to his father's slightly desperate speech, before nodded solemnly and thinking of the book he had placed in his school trunk early this morning.

His mother smiled absently at him, giving him a light hug before addressing Draco, "He'll be fine dear, Scorpius is our child remember?"

Draco simply sighed in a long suffering way before gently tucking a strand of his wife's hair behind her ear and saying, "Of course."

Scorpius turned his attention back to Rose's family, her mother appeared to be crying and her father was trying to console his wife. Rose was already dressed in her school robes, like himself he noted, and she was fiddling with them rather nervously while sharing anxious glances with her messy haired cousin, Albus Potter.

There was quite a crowd around her he realised. The Weasly and Potter clan was bigger than he had originally thought and he could understand why Rose felt so lost in it.

Her brother Hugo, was looking distressed and jealous as he chatted with a red-headed girl who wore similar emotions.

All of a sudden, it was time to board the train. Scorpius stole one last look at Rose, who met his eyes for a moment and gave him an encouraging smile before making her way on to the train. Saying his final good byes to his parents, he followed her path and stepped on to the Hogwarts express, a relieved sigh escaping him as he noticed her waiting for him with her cousin.

"Scorpius." She greeted pulling him in to a tight hug which he loosely returned. "This is my cousin Albus." She told him, motioning for both of the boys to follow her so they could find a carriage.

"It's just Al." Albus told him, a shy smile on his face.

"Right." Scorpius nodded. "Nice to meet you."

They managed to find an empty compartment eventually, passing many students who looked at Albus with wonder and Rose with mild interest, their eyes sliding over Scorpius easily.

"It's so good to see you again, Scorp." Rose said, settling herself down on one of the seats. "I wanted—"

But she was cut off as a red-headed boy with glasses slid the door of their compartment open and said "Greetings young cousin and dearest brother."

Rose rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Don't you have any friends to sit with James."

"Of course I do." He told her dismissively, "I've been sent here by Dominique, who is looking for Al."

"For me?" Al asked. "What for?"

"She wants to colour her new dress robes and needs your eye colour as a guide apparently." James informed him happily.

Albus groaned. "It's always me isn't it?" He asked rhetorically, before sliding the compartment open and disappearing down the corridor.

"So," James said, directing his hazel gaze to Scorpius. "who are you?"

"Scorpius." Scorpius told him.

"Scorpius?" James repeated thoughtfully. "Scorpius Malfoy?"

"Yes." Scorpius agreed.

James opened his mouth, a hard look on his face, but was interrupted by Rose, "Leave James." She told him. "Before you do something stupid."

"Before _I_ do something stupid?" James asked her, looking at her pointedly, before turning away and slamming the compartment door shut.

"Don't worry about him." Rose said, watching sadly as Scorpius rested his head against the glass of the window. "He's just… Dramatic."

"I'm not worried." Scorpius muttered.

* * *

><p>"There's Al." Rose said, grabbing Scorpius' arm and leading him towards her cousin.<p>

"Hey." Albus greeted them, relief in his tone. "Hagrid's just over there." He pointed out a giant, bearded man who was yelling for the first years.

Rose nodded, "Let's go."

"Hi Hagrid!" Albus called.

"'Ello Al, Rose!" Hagrid greeted happily. "Who's this?"

"Scorpius." Rose supplied.

"Pleasure t' meet yeh." Hagrid said pleasantly, before turning to the first years at large and guiding them to the boats that would take them to the castle.

They watched in wonder as the boats slowly made their way to the magnificent castle. It was a beautiful place, though the parts where it had been re-built after the battle stood in stark contrast to the older parts of the castle. Scorpius wonder if this was done on purpose, for surely magic could make it less obvious.

He looked at Rose, who was wide eyed and beaming at the sight before her. She turned to Scorpius and grinned excitedly at him, her curls becoming even more frizzy than usual as the wind swept through them.

Scorpius grew increasingly nervous as the group of first years were lead into the Entrance Hall and passed over to the tiny Professor Flitwick, who greeted them with great enthusiasm, clapping his small hands and beaming.

Scorpius was terrified as they went into the Great Hall and he noticed Rose wore an expression of horror. He tried to school his features in to something resembling nonchalance and he must have managed well enough as Rose seemed to calm as she took in his face.

He noticed the sorting hat, resting on a stool and watched interestedly as it opened a rip that was just above the brim and began to sing. He lost interest as he realised the hat was merely listing the attributes of each house, these he already knew, he instead let his eyes drift over the sea of faces within the Great Hall, most of which were watching the first years with mischievous smirks or soft smiles.

"When I call your name," Professor Flitwick squeaked enthusiastically. "you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted! Boot, Margaret!"

Flitwick beamed as she sat on the stall and briefly tried to place the hat on her head, before realising he wasn't quite tall enough and simply handed her the hat. The hall burst into laughter while Margaret chuckled weakly and placed the dirty, patched hat on her head.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Corke, Amanda!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Scorpius watched intently as each first year placed the hat on themselves, wondering which of them might be his new house mates. Rose and he had decided long ago that it wouldn't particularly matter if they were in the same house or not, it wouldn't make a difference to them.

"Malfoy, Scorpius!" Was finally called and Scorpius walked towards the stool, desperately trying to ignore the mutters that were spreading through the hall as people watched him with weary eyes.

Taking the hat from a still smiling, though slight less brightly Flitwick, Scorpius placed the hat on his head. He waited anxiously, all the while feeling Rose's gaze burning into him.

_Interesting_, a small voice in his head commented, jolting him with shock. _Yes… you'd use any means to achieve your ends, wouldn't you? Intelligent though. Loyal to those you love…_

_Just put me in Slytherin_, he told the hat.

_Yes, I suppose that would be the best place for you,_ the hat agreed before yelling:

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherins broke out into a mild applause as the rest of the school looked on in distaste and Scorpius seated himself next to another recently sorted first year, not bothering to return the greeting she offered, instead keeping his eyes trained on Rose.

"Potter, Albus!" Was called out a short time after and whoops from Albus' family rang throughout the hall, causing laughter to ring again and making Albus go slightly pink.

The hat was on his head for a few moments, and judging by his facial expressions Albus was having quite the discussion with the hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" It finally yelled, and Albus made his way to his house table taking a seat next to his rather relieved looking older brother.

It was finally Rose's turn and more whoops rang throughout the Hall but Rose ignored them, her head high and her face serious.

The hat sat on her head for a long time as well, and Scorpius was desperate to know what it was saying. Rose glanced at him after a few minutes, giving him a somewhat apologetic smile as the hat yelled:

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She took the hat off, returning it to Flitwick with a sweet smile and made her way to her new table a loud applause greeting her. She sat next to Albus and waved at him cheerfully. He waved back, and turned his eyes towards the sorting once more.

After the last person had been sorted, Professor McGonagall stood in the centre of the high table, looking down rather sternly at the students before letting a small smile brighten her face, "Welcome to Hogwarts, both new and old students. I am sure you are all ready to eat now, ("Merlin, yes!" James yelled) so enjoy the feast that has been prepared for you by paid House Elves who receive sick leaves and pensions."

Scorpius felt mildly confused by this speech, "Why did she say that about House Elves?"

"It's part of those new laws being put out by Hermione Weasley, isn't it?" Thomas Flint, a fourth year boy commented, looking amused.

"Hermione Weasley? Rose's mother?" He blurted out.

"Rose?" Marcus repeated. "Don't know her sorry."

"Nevermind." He muttered, spooning some food onto his golden plate.

* * *

><p>Scorpius walked through the corridors of the castle, ignoring the shoves he received and the dirty looks and the shrill laughter that echoed in his ears. He almost laughed when a fellow first year whimpered at the dark look on his face.<p>

He was meeting Rose by the Black Lake, it was Saturday afternoon and they had made a plan to meet since the sun was out.

They had met throughout the school week of course, to go to the library and explore the castle, but Scorpius often felt uncomfortable about the dirty looks he received from her cousins—particularly James.

He was unsure of whether or not his first week had been good or bad. He had not made any new friends, but he still had Rose and Albus even nodded to him in corridors. People continued to taunt him, which was not particularly fair, since the war had been over for many years now, and most of the children who treated him the worst had only been told stories of the horrible Lucius Malfoy and how arrogant and prejudiced the Malfoy's were. Perhaps he was just an easy target for bullies. He enjoyed his lessons, particularly history of magic, despite how boring Professor Binns was, as he mostly just researched the history himself.

Rose was in love with Astronomy which she took every Wednesday, she told him she couldn't wait to see Scorpio in the sky.

He had written to his parents and told him he had been sorted into Slytherin. They were pleased and sent him a bag of sweets which caused many a student to scoff at him.

He was desperately excited to see Rose and be able to talk to her without the distraction of lessons, so he made his way to the Lake at a fast pace, passing the white marble tomb that rested along the shoreline and approached his friend.

"Hey Scorp." She greeted, leading him over to a tree so they would have something to lean on.

"Hello." He replied quietly. "How's Gryffindor?"

"Uneventful." She replied. "Amanda, my dorm mates quite lovely though, I think she'll be a good friend. How's Slytherin?"

"Uneventful as well." He told her.

"I see people being mean to you." She told him, eyeing him carefully.

"Perhaps I deserve it." He suggested, waving her down when she opened her mouth to protest. "It's not important Rose, I can take care of myself. What did the sorting hat tell you when it was on your head?"

She looked at him anxiously for a moment, seeming indecisive over whether or not she should press the subject or move on, she apparently decided on the latter as she said, "It told me I had the nerve of a Gryffindor, that I was intelligent, ambitious and that I was not at all loyal. You?"

"I'd use any means to achieve my ends, I'm loyal to loved ones and I'm intelligent. No mention of Gryffindor." He told her.

"Do you think it was right?" Rose wondered.

"Maybe." Scorpius commented. "Do you not want it to be?"

Rose didn't reply.

* * *

><p>Yeah. Review?<p> 


	3. Judgement

**Possession**

* * *

><p>"What are you thinking Rose?" James growled at his cousin, walking down through the halls with her. Where anyone could hear really, Scorpius reasoned as he walked a few steps behind them, tuning out the chatter of school children and focusing on their conversation.<p>

"He's a Malfoy." He told her. "You know what your dad and Uncle George say about them."

"James." Rose replied, sounding thoroughly aggravated. "You take everything dad and George say as law, when half the time they're joking."

James waved this off. "But everyone knows the Malfoy's are bad news Rose, Ron and George just know from experience."

"Well," Rose countered. "I know, 'from experience', that Scorpius isn't like that."

"I don't trust him." James said petulantly.

"Just go away James." Rose snapped.

James looked at her for a moment before grabbing her shoulder and stopping her in her tracks, pulling her off to the side as Scorpius hid around the corner while everyone else made their way into class.

"Why are you always like this Rose?" James asked, his tone of voice becoming rather hurt.

"Like what?" Rose hissed back, sounding desperate to leave.

"You never want to spend time with us anymore." James muttered.

"Us?"

"Your family!" James whispered desperately.

"It's time for class James." Rose told him dismissively, shoving past her cousin and making her way through a door.

James let out a frustrated sigh, before removing his hand from the wall on which it had been leaning upon, and turned in the opposite direction from where he had originally appeared to be headed. Scorpius didn't find the time to hide. He fiddled with the ends of his sleeves nervously, just as James rounded the corner and spotted him standing there by himself.

"Malfoy." James muttered to himself, a dark look appearing on his face as he looked over the small blonde boy. "I don't know what you've done to her—"

"Done to her?" Scorpius echoed incredulously.

"Yes." James told him fiercely. "Done to her. You've tricked her into being your friend, somehow and now she won't even look twice at us."

Scorpius though on this for a moment, had Rose stopped talking to her family recently? No, Scorpius was sure he still saw her with Albus sometimes and she often talked of letters she had received from her parents.

"Maybe it's just you." He commented, causing James too look even angrier.

"Stay away from her." James told him stubbornly. "Rose needs friends who aren't from a Death Eaters family."

And with that said, James shoved passed him, stomping of to his next class. Scorpius let out a growl of frustration, his hands clenched into tight fists as he stood in the middle of the corridor, hardly even noticing he was nearly fifteen minutes late for charms.

* * *

><p>Scorpius hated his first year. He hated the students in his house, who were either so arrogant they were impossible to talk to, or so ashamed of themselves that they refused to come out of their dorms. He hated the Professors who he was sure constantly watched him suspiciously, along with the older students who eyed him with disgust and gossiped about his Death Eater family, telling everyone the stories they had heard of the horrible Malfoy's that they had heard from their parents.<p>

He loathed Rose's cousin. James constantly appeared when he and Rose spent time alone together, loudly insisting that Rose choose more trustworthy friends before retreating fearfully from Rose's fiery eyes. James would then gain some courage back and decide to instead let Scorpius know how unworthy he was to be his cousins friend in other ways.

He could hardly walk a few steps without being tripped up by a snickering James Potter.

The only thing he loved was throughout it was Rose. Exploring the castle with her (Filch absolutely despised them), studying with her (as did Madame Pince), sitting out by the lake with her, discovering where the kitchens were and going to eat éclairs with her (the House Elves, on the other hand, loved them).

He didn't say anything about people taunting him to her all through their first year, nor through the summer holidays following it. He couldn't bear the thought of dulling their time together with his dark moods.

But Rose seemed to notice when he became more sullen and she tended to be rather short with him during these times.

"Somethings wrong." Rose decided, looking at his irritated face and listening to his silence.

"James hates me." Scorpius mentioned, as the two second years made their way to their regular spot by the Black Lake.

"You hate him, too." Rose pointed out. The enmity between him and James was not unknown, the teachers often laughed and said they were rather like their fathers. Scorpius thought this must be untrue, for surely the savour of the wizarding world could not be so stupid.

"I tend to hate people who treat me like dirt Rose." He replied sardonically, passing the familiar white tomb and settling himself down against a nearby tree.

Rose ran her fingers through her hair as she sat beside him, her untidy fingernails scraping through the messy strands.

"Do you want me to write to aunt Ginny?" She asked him.

"No." Scorpius snapped, humiliated at the very thought. "I can take care of myself."

"What does that even _mean, _Scorpius?" Rose asked carefully.

"It means I don't need you getting your relatives to sort out my problems." Scorpius told her, his face screwed up in distaste.

"You're the one who brought it up!" She pointed out defensively. "It's not like I _want _to get involved in the stupidity of the life of James Potter."

"Isn't that what families do?" He said reasonably.

Rose snorted. "I try to avoid it."

"Why?" Scorpius wondered.

"I thought you hated my family?" Rose muttered; her eyes locked on the smooth surface of the lake.

Scorpius neither confirmed nor denied this. "You don't."

"No, I don't." She admitted. 'I just want to be alone. I feel alone when I'm with you."

"Alone." He echoed, unsure of whether or not this was a compliment.

"It's like…" She seemed to struggle to struggle to put her thoughts into words for a moment. "It's like there's this _screaming _in my ears, _all _the time. And when I'm with you… it stops. And I can finally think and talk and hear and _be _heard."

"Be heard." He repeated, agreeing with this last statement. Rose was the only one who had ever heard him. And listened to what he had said.

"Just avoid James for now." She advised, shaking her head as if to clear her mind. "He'll get over himself."

Scorpius nodded. "I can wait."

Rose didn't ask what he meant.

* * *

><p>Scorpius hated being short. It was part of being twelve, he understood that. But he couldn't stand the way people towered over him. It made him feel weak and defenceless and he couldn't stand not being able to fight back without fear of physical assault.<p>

He tried to make to make up for this with a knowledge for magic and though he was ahead of most of his peers, (save for Rose who excelled in all her lessons) the people who taunted him tended to be years ahead in skill, magic wise.

He was desperate for a growth spurt.

"When will I grow, father?" He asked Draco one morning during the summer holidays as they sat together for breakfast.

His father briefly looked up from the mail he was sorting through, vaguely glancing in his sons direction.

"Soon." He answered shortly.

"But when?" Scorpius pressed.

"I do not know, Scorpius!" Draco spat, throwing an envelope down on the table in irritation and placing his hands in his face.

"Don't snap Draco." Astoria scolded closing her copy of _Witch Weekly _and placing it on the table.

"Fresh batch of fan mail?" She asked him sarcastically, picking up the envelope closest to her and flipping it open.

"Fan mail?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"Astoria!" Draco growled, looking humiliated as he took his face from his hands and noticed his son's interested gaze.

"Oh Draco, don't be so self-pitying." Astoria teased mildly.

"Self-pitying?" Scorpius echoed, confusion colouring his tone.

"Your father receives some rather rude notes." Astoria told him, amusement clear in her expression.

"Astoria." Draco said warningly.

Astoria sighed, looking at her husband disappointedly and placing the envelope in front of him.

"I don't understand." Scorpius intoned.

"It's nothing for you to worry about." Draco told him, sending an angry glare toward his wife.

"Do you receive hate mail father?" Scorpius asked, having managed to put two and two together.

The look on his father's face was enough to tell him he was correct.

"But it's been years since the war." Scorpius protested.

"And yet _Ron Weasley_ still receives fan mail." Draco said bitterly, vanishing the letters in front of him with a flick of his wand.

"Ron Weasley?" Scorpius asked. 'Rose's father?"

"Rose?" His father said, looking confused.

"Oh yes." Astoria reminisced, picking up her copy of _Witch Weekly _again. "Your little friend that Tiffy always took you too see."

Draco's eyes flickered to his wife in shock before his face became impassive.

"You're friends with Ron Weasley's daughter?" He asked.

Scorpius nodded vaguely in confirmation, turning his eyes to where the letters had vanished from while Draco made a thoughtful noise.

* * *

><p>"This is Lily." Rose said, motioning to the eleven year old girl seated beside her in the compartment as Scorpius sat opposite them, next to Rose's younger brother, Hugo.<p>

"Hello." The girl greeted. Scorpius inclined his head toward her, rather put out at having to share the compartment. He rather hated having other people around when he spent time with Rose.

"And you know Hugo already of course." Rose continued, sounding bored.

The four of them turned suddenly as the compartment door slid open and Albus stepped through, looking uncomfortable.

"James is looking for you Lily." He said, keeping his eyes trained to the floor.

"Why?" Rose questioned furiously, her eyes flickering between Albus and Scorpius.

"I'm just passing the message on Rose." Albus defended.

"Fine." Rose snapped. "Go on then Lily. Take Hugo with you."

"Don't be so snippy Rose." Lily complained, before standing up and following after the retreating Albus, motioning for a hurt looking Hugo to follow.

Scorpius watched expressionlessly as the compartment door slid shut before turning his head to look out at the passing country side.

"Don't do that." Rose sighed.

"Do what?" He muttered, not bothering to look at her.

"Go into one of your brooding silences." She complained.

"Perhaps I have things to brood on." He said moodily.

"Well brood when you're not with me." She insisted. "Hogsmeade trips this year."

He scoffed at her obvious change of subject.

She prodded him in the shin with her foot. "Come on Scorp. At least pretend to be excited."

"Only if you promise to buy me chocolate." He smirked.

"Deal."

* * *

><p>"Hey." Lily said, as she sat down beside him at her new house table.<p>

"Hello." He said, a little stiffly, to the eleven year old.

"You should see the looks James is sending you." She giggled as she began to cut her sausages.

"I'd rather not." Scorpius said dryly. "How are you in Slytherin anyway?"

She shrugged. "Same way everyone else gets sorted here I 'spose. Hat decided it was the right spot for me."

Scorpius nodded vaguely at this, letting his eyes roam over Gryffindor table to find Rose. She was sitting next to her dark haired friend, Amanda, and watching him with a rather ugly look on her face.

"What's wrong with Rose?" He wondered aloud.

"Who knows?" Lily asked rhetorically. "There's always something making her mad. Maybe Amanda's trying to turn her into a girl again."

"Turn her into a girl?" Scorpius asked, thinking this seemed to be a ridiculous mission as Rose was clearly already female.

"Right." Lily nodded. "She thinks Rose needs a makeover."

"Why?"

Lily shrugged again. "Rose just isn't very girly is she?" Scorpius supposed this was true. "Amanda thinks that if she wants a boyfriend she'll have to make herself prettier."

"A boyfriend?" Scorpius asked in shock.

"I know right," Lily said, nodding her agreement. "Boys are yuck. Oh, sorry."

He ignored this last offence against his gender, thinking on Rose's apparent need of a makeover. He had never thought of Rose as unattractive he supposed, untidy, certainly, but not ugly. Her hair was undoubtedly horrid, though the colour was like golden flames and was almost reasonable when clipped back. He skin was pale, she'd always had to try and stay in shaded areas if her mother wasn't around to perform a sun blocking charm, for when she didn't she would surely turn as red as her hair. She had clean teeth; they were the neatest part of her in fact, apparently because her muggle grandparents were dentists.

He wondered why she wanted to change her appearance. He'd never seen any serious problems in it.

* * *

><p>"She likes you, you know." Rose said.<p>

"Someone likes me?" He said jokingly, though he knew Rose saw his shocked expression at her words.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Amanda does. She _fancies _you."

"Fancies me?" Scorpius asked incredulously. "She's never even talked to me."

"She thinks you handsome." Rose said with a giggle.

"Handsome." He repeated dubiously. "Is she not scared off by my Malfoy status?"

"She likes bad boys, apparently." At this she broke out into full blown laughter.

Madame Pince eyed her threateningly.

"Calm down, Rose." Scorpius suggested, glancing towards the angry looking librarian.

"Sorry." She gasped. "It's just funny."

"Tell her I don't like her back." He said.

"You'll break her heart." Rose told him, though she didn't seem to be too perturbed.

"I'm sure she'll pull through." He said dryly.

"So cruel." Rose muttered amusedly.

"Were you surprised? About Lily I mean." He asked, referring to Lily's sorting, feeling the need for a subject change.

"Not really. She's always been terribly sneaky." Rose said thoughtfully. "James is horrified though of course."

"Because of her house or because of who's _in _her house?" Scorpius asked pointedly.

"Both, I suppose." Rose admitted. "Harry's said he doesn't mind but James keeps writing to him complaining about you."

Scorpius slammed his book down in frustration, making Rose start and causing Madame Pince to glower at him heavily.

"James is just a git." Rose soothed.

"I know he is." Scorpius snapped. "I just don't want to have to put up with him."

"Well I don't see what else you can do unless you let me write to aunt Ginny about him."

"And then what will I do about the others Rose?" He said, watching in frustration as she carefully removed the quill he had been beginning to snap between his fingers from his clutches.

"Tell a teacher." She suggested, placing the quill on her side of the table and eyeing him nervously.

"Where's the justice in letting someone get away with just writing lines for an hour?" He muttered.

"You're getting too caught up in this Scorpius." Rose said.

"Well I'd like to see you deal with it." He snapped irritably. "None of my relatives are looking at you like you just crawled out from under their shoe."

"I hate when you get like this!" Rose said vehemently, shoving her books into her bag and pushing away from their table, "I can't _control_ my family Scorpius. Don't take it out on me!"

"Fine!" He yelled after her, kicking the table leg in anger as he watched her shove her way through some innocent Ravenclaws coming through the door.

"I think it is time you left the library." Madame Pince suggested icily, flicking her wand and making his books float away to their appropriate shelves. Scorpius scowled deeply at her and swung his bag over his shoulder, pushing passed the Ravenclaws who had just managed to pick up all their books.

* * *

><p>Scorpius was feeling immensely satisfied as he watched James horrified face over at Gryffindor table.<p>

"Oh dear…" Lily muttered a little way down the table, as she watched her brother being slapped in the face by his tearful girlfriend.

He watched with pleasure as James scrambled from his seat on the bench and ran out the hall after her, yelling apologies.

"Scorpius." A voice came from behind him. Rose. When had she left her table? He must not have noticed it being so caught up in watching his plan unfold.

"Rose." He greeted, ignoring the odd looks his housemates sent him.

"Could I talk to you?" She asked pleasantly.

"Certainly." He agreed, stepping away from his table and following her into the entrance chamber. He had a brief flash of the night he had first arrived at Hogwarts as a nervous eleven year old, shaking with terror in this very room as he waited for the Sorting Hat to tell him where to go. The time had gone fast, he realised, he and Rose were in their fourth year now and they only had three years of schooling left.

"Did you make that happen?" She asked promptly, motioning to the Hall they had just exited.

"Make what happen?" He said innocently.

"James." She answered.

"I don't understand you." Scorpius lied.

"Yes you do." Rose argued.

"You're accusing me of the being the reason his girlfriend dumped him?" He asked incredulously.

"It just seems," Rose began suspiciously. "a little odd that barely a week after James decides to publicly humiliate you, his long-time girlfriend, who was absolutely obsessed with him, suddenly decides to break up with him."

"James is constantly humiliating me in public." Scorpius said dismissively.

"And you've been swearing revenge on him for years." Rose pointed out, before her voice became desperate, compelling him to understand. "He was practically in love with her Scorpius."

"Good." Scorpius said ruthlessly. "He got what he deserved then."

'Don't talk like that." Rose said, looking horrified.

"It's the truth Rose." He insisted.

"So? Who made you in charge of punishing everyone?" She hissed at him.

"I _needed_ to do this Rose." He confessed, grey eyes seeming to darken with hate. "I can hardly sleep at night while I dream of all the things people say about me."

"You're scaring me Scorpius." Rose muttered, shaking her head sadly.

He crossed his arms, looking down at her unsympathetically. "I haven't done anything to you Rose. What's there to be scared of?"

* * *

><p>Thanks to those lovely people who reviewed, favourited and alerted this story. I was thrilled! I hope this chapters okay. I was feeling a bit meh about it. Tell me what you think :)<p> 


	4. Desire

**Posession**

* * *

><p>"Who was that?" Scorpius asked, looking over Rose's shoulder at a tall, handsome boy with dark skin who appeared to be making his way back to the castle.<p>

"Hmm?" Rose answered, glancing in the direction Scorpius was looking towards before saying, "Oh. Adam. From Ravenclaw."

"Oh." Was all Scorpius said, as the two fifth years made their way to their usual spot by the lake.

"I think he fancies me." Rose blurted out, abruptly stopping in her tracks, prompting Scorpius to turn and face her.

"Oh." Scorpius repeated, unsure of what to say. "And you… fancy him?"

Rose looked at him, in an almost considering way, her brown eyes roaming over his face as she bit her lower lip.

She stepped towards him, close enough for him to count every freckle on her face, and placed her hands lightly on his chest as her eyelids fluttered shut.

Scorpius looked down at her in confusion, his lips parting to repeat his question, but before he even managed to form the words her lips were suddenly against his.

He had forgotten what he had meant to say. He had forgotten everything, everything except Rose; her achingly soft lips, her hands, the way it felt as they drifted up his chest, coming to gently cradle his face, her sweet breath as she sighed into his mouth.

His eyes were still closed once she had broken away, as though trying to stay locked in her kiss forever.

"No, I don't." She whispered, her forehead coming to rest against his.

Scorpius had no idea what she was talking about.

* * *

><p>As Rose aged, her longing for freedom grew with her. By the middle of Scorpius' fifth year she had several plans of where she was going to escape to, her eyes growing wider with longing each time she spoke of them<p>

"I'm going to live in Africa." She swore to him, one day out by the lake as she lay curled against his chest. "Or Italy. Or Spain. Or France or Japan—"

"How will I bear living without you?" Scorpius interrupted, a teasing tone smothering the very real fear in his question.

How _would _he bear it if Rose left him?

"You'll be coming with me of course." She said, her voice a command. "And then we'll finally be alone. Together."

He blew out a wistful sigh at these words, his fingers tenderly stroking her wild hair.

"We're alone right now." He pointed out. This was quite truthful as no one else appeared to want to sit so near to the White Tomb that was close by to where he and Rose often spent their free time together.

"Not properly." Rose argued, looking towards the familiar castle that students were beginning to approach.

"Mmm."

"Lunch is nearly over." She reminded him.

Scorpius groaned. "Stay in my arms forever and I shall take you to any part of the world you desire."

Rose laughed, breaking free from his hold. "I wouldn't be able to go many places if I was forever in your arms."

"Details." He muttered, accepting the hand she offered and standing up.

They headed towards the castle, discussion which lessons they had next when they were brought to a sudden stop outside the castle doors by an unwelcome interruption,

"Having fun?" James Potter asked, looking furious.

James had become thoroughly more ill-tempered after his girlfriend had broken up with him, a scheme which Scorpius was proud to say he had orchestrated through use of gossip, magically tampered with photos and the girl's insecurities.

Ever since this very public break up, James had been shunned by those he had once called friends. He was constantly being humiliated and deserted by everyone, bar his own family.

Scorpius found this to be a fitting punishment for the boy who had isolated him from other people his age who were once willing to make friends with him with his harsh words and complete mistrust. He had thought it to be a rather poetic justice and felt immense satisfaction every time he saw James' crushed expression.

Rose, meanwhile, was looking hideously uncomfortable. But she never was one to back down from a fight.

"Yes actually." She said sweetly. "Thank you for asking James."

James scowled deeply.

"Hugo's been asking after you Rose." He told her. "Says you hardly even look at him these days."

"Hugo just wants someone to do his homework for him." Rose sniffed. "Unsurprisingly I have more important things to do."

"What?" James mocked, looking towards Scorpius, and raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Things like spending time with this rubbish?" He wondered, shoving Scorpius backwards, away from Rose. "You deserve so much better Rose. People _died _because of _his _family."

"James—" Rose began, but she was interrupted as Scorpius stepped forward, shoving James against the brick of the castle and holding him there with his wand pointed painfully into James' neck.

"Don't you dare," Scorpius warned, his eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare."

"Stay away from her and I won't have to!" James roared, furiously trying to break free of Scorpius' grip.

Scorpius appeared to be letting him free for a moment, and James sagged in relief briefly, before completely falling over, his nose bleeding heavily from where Scorpius had hit him as he groaned in pain.

Scorpius tightened his grip on his wand as he stood over James.

"Scorpius! No!" Rose shrieked, looking at him in horror, as she desperately pulled at his wand arm. "Stop it!"

Scorpius shoved her away, giving James' one last look of loathing as he turned towards the castle, walking to the castle in a blind rage, feeling Rose's gaze burning into him as she watched him leave, her hand placed over her terrified heart.

* * *

><p>"I would do it again Rose, if given the same opportunity." Scorpius told her.<p>

She slapped her hand to her forehead, in gesture of incredulity. "How can you say that?" She whispered, looking at him strangely. "I don't know how to be around you sometimes Scorpius."

"You don't even like James." He said sullenly.

"That's irrelevant!" She shrieked at him. "I would not wish him pain."

"So you would wish it on me then?" Scorpius asked scornfully.

"I wish it on no one." Rose protested.

"Except everyone but yourself!" He shot back.

She looked at him indignantly, "And what do you mean by that?"

"You hate your own family!" He answered her.

"I do not hate them!"

"You shun them at every opportunity." Scorpius reasoned.

"And so would you if you had to put up with them every day!" Rose raged, her face red in her frustration.

"You never put up with them!" He said, staring down at her without sympathy. "You put all your time into avoiding them at all costs!"

"Shut up! Shut up!" She demanded, banging her fists into her chest as hot tears spilled onto her cheeks. "You don't know me, you don't!"

Scorpius captured her wrists in his hands. "I know you better than you know yourself Rose, you're selfish and take everything from everyone—"

"What about you!" She screamed at him. "You're cruel and manipulative and spend all your hours planning petty revenge—"

"As would you if you had to spend your days being told you were completely worthless as well."

"So stay away from me, then." Rose urged, pulling her hands out of his grasp and placing them around his neck. "Tell me to leave if you hate me so much."

"I can't escape you anymore than I can escape my bad reputation." Scorpius muttered against her forehead.

"Reputations change." Rose whispered.

Scorpius broke free from her hold for a moment, before sighing in defeat and pulling her closer. "Everything changes."

* * *

><p>Sorry this is horrendously short I know. I just needed to get this bit out of the way so I could have them in a relationship so it would work with my plan for sixth year. Thank you to those lovely people who reviewed and all that, it keeps me going. I have a few bits written for this story, I know where it ends, and it won't be terribly long so I am hoping to have it completed shortly and since the holidays are coming up in two days, I should be able to achieve this OH MY GOSH, HARRY POTTER PREMIERE TONIGHT I'M SO EXCITED! Has anyone else seen it yet? Or are they going to see it soon? Whooo! Review!<p> 


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